Rudolph is real! But what about Jesus?

Ray Howell

Published: Friday, December 7, 2012 at 5:56 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 7, 2012 at 5:56 p.m.

My granddaughter loves Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. She watches the video over and over. We sing the Rudolph song. I have lighted reindeer in the yard, and she has named each one: Rudolph, Rudolph's mommy, Rudolph's daddy, his brothers, his sisters … Rudolph ornaments hang on the Christmas tree. She has a Rudolph stuffed animal. I tell her stories about Rudolph and all of his friends who live in the forest. Did I tell you that she loves Rudolph?

I kept telling her that Rudolph and his friends were coming to visit us, and we would often look outside to see if they were there. But then it happened. I looked out the kitchen window Sunday morning to see not one or two but seven deer standing in the backyard. And one was a young buck.

I grabbed my granddaughter and held her so she could see. Her eyes were wide open with wonder and amazement as she exclaimed, "It's Rudolph! And his mommy, and his sisters …" We were whispering so the deer would not be startled and run off. For a long time we watched Rudolph and all his friends and family before they finally meandered off into the woods. I wondered what was going on in her little head.

She excitedly shared the news at church that morning that Rudolph had visited. He was actually there. She saw him with her own eyes. Rudolph was real!

Children live in a fascinating world where the lines between fantasy and reality are often blended. But what happens when a figure like Rudolph who lives in the fantasy world shows up in the real world? I'm sure my little granddaughter spent a lot of time processing this transition. Sometimes when I tell her a story and have an animal talking she will interrupt and say, "Squirrels can't talk!" But there are other times when she wants to jump into the fantasy world where cows drink lemonade, dinosaurs ride trains, and everyone lives happily ever after.

So what do we do with Jesus? Ask children about Christmas and they will talk about Santa Claus, Rudolph, flying reindeer, the Grinch who stole Christmas, elves and, oh yes, Jesus. Angels light up the darkened sky and sing a glorious song of peace on earth as they announce Jesus' birth. The shepherds run to a stable where the animals watch over the new born baby. Wise Men follow a star and show up with exotic gifts.

What world are we in? Fantasy or reality? And how do we distinguish between the two worlds to our children and grandchildren? Here's my advice.

Allow children to enjoy the fantasy world while they are young. Don't be a Scrooge or an intellectual killjoy like the mother on "Miracle on 34th Street." Christmas should be a magical time when dreams come true. Make Christmas really special but help your children to understand that we are celebrating Jesus' birthday. The lights, the parties, the parades, the trees, the music, the joy, the gifts, the celebration is for one reason and one reason only: Jesus is born!

Christmas comes only once a year, but Jesus is with us all year long. The lights, the trees, the decorations will be put away, but keep Jesus in the forefront all the time. Jesus is the same in season and out of season.

But finally, and most importantly, the greatest way to communicate the reality of Jesus is to allow children to see him in your life. Children see you in the best of times and the worst. Live your lives with consistent love and grace, practicing forgiveness and mercy, putting God first in everything. If Jesus is real, they will know it because they know you. If Jesus is just a fantasy, they will know that, too, because they will see it in you.

I often have the privilege of hearing children and grandchildren give testimony to a beloved mother or father or grandparent after their death. Quite often, they speak of their faith, and they give examples of how they kept faith in times of great suffering, tragedy and distress. There is no doubt that Jesus is real, because they have seen him with their own eyes in the lives of the ones they love the most.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive its king!

The Rev. Dr. Ray Howell III is senior minister at First Baptist Church on West Third Avenue.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.